The Blade of a Sword
by CrystalAkuna
Summary: Her life has always been easy, just a swish of the sword would make everything perfect. But now they are after her, and she must run. Run and hide in the only place allowing comfort and friendship. Hogwarts.
1. Prologue

**Crystal****: This may as well be the oddest fic you will ever read. The idea came to me while watching Rurouni Kenshin one day. This idea has always appealed to me, and now I am finally putting it down on paper for the world to see. It may really suck, but that's your opinion, isn't it my friend.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, but NOW I own all five books. The character Cahira Zeva Aiden is my character and is not allowed to be used. She is not based on a real person in any circumstances. Yes, this is boring, but it's important. So you can't sue me. I also do own the people who you do not recognize, so they are mine. No stealing please.**

**Crystal****: With that all done and said, here is the Prologue of 'The Blade of a Sword.'**

**~*~*~  **

Her hand moved to her side, un-sheathing the sword with a click of her thumb. Sliding it out, she placed it in front of herself using her right hand, holding it in a very strait line. Gliding her left index finger and thumb down the blade, she curled it to the side, holding it vertically in front of her, so her body was divided in two equal halves.

Opening her eyes quickly, she twisted the sword to the right, bringing it back and clamping it with her left hand. Narrowing her eyes, she charged at an unknown target, her black hair barely visible at the speed. Slowing herself, she swerved the sword back to the right, bringing it over to the left once more near the ground and making a clean slice. The opponents dropped to the ground, and she turned, sheathing her sword in the process. Her eyes held strait, she walked back to her original stance.

"Very good, Lady Cahira" a raspy voice said, and the girls head shot over, her eyes relaxing.

"Master Keiji" the girls' voice was soft and beautiful, as was her features. She was dressed in a haori, otherwise what a Japanese Priestess would wear. It was a pair of red pants which were baggy and flared at the bottom. The top was louse and white, going down to her wrists in scoops. It was stitched with red, and she wore nothing on her feet, at the moment. She bowed to her knees, her sword hanging lightly at her side in its sheath. (**A/N So, it looks like Kikyo's robes that she always wears in Inu-Yasha. That's exactly what it looks like, except she has a sword sheath with it. The shoes are the same too.) "Thank you, Master Keiji."**

"You may stand" the man said, but the girl shook her head.

"I would rather stay this way, for it represents my gratitude, Master Keiji" the girl said. The man nodded.

"Then lift your head, Lady Cahira" the man said, and the girl did. She had beautiful ebony hair, with bangs gliding to right above her eyes, with two framing her ears. The rest of her hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. (**A/N So, it looks like Sango's hair from Inu-Yasha) She had beautiful eyes of amethyst blue, and pure skin of ivory. She was no more then the age of 16.**

"Master, I did not know you were coming to visit me" Cahira said.

"It is not a far travel, if you have permission" the man said. "Please come and walk with me, Cahira" the man said. The girl said, slipping into her black sandals, and taking a step onto wood. The man was about two heads shorter then herself, with white hair and beard. His hair was tied back, and he had squinted eyes of black. He wore a dark blue haori, but he had no weapon. He led her down through the wooden hallway, until they reached where the walls turned into castle.

"Why are we going into the castle, Master Keiji?" Cahira asked, but her master did not reply. She nodded in understandance. They began down a spiral, rock, staircase, till they came to cool marble floor. Unlocking a large wooden door, they stepped out into a white hallway. The door was concealed behind a large painting of Cahira, but with her hair down, reaching to about five inches below her shoulders and held with a white bow. (**A/N The clothes in the picture look just like Sango's travel clothes, but I'll describe them anyway**.) 

Herself in the picture was wearing a green skirt that went to mid calf, with a two inch pink border at the bottom. Underneath it she was wearing black, skin tight pants that went to right above her ankles, and she was wearing the same sandals. Her shirt was like that of a haori, but not as loose, more skin tight. It was light pink, with a square of dark pink at the top, and dark pink going from the elbow to the wrist. Below the haori top were black arm covers, which reached like a glove to her hand, going off in a triangle at each of her index fingers, all of her fingers showing. A blue band was wrapped around each of her wrists. She had a blue, bandana print scarf around her shoulders, hanging loosely. She had her sword out and hanging over her back.

The picture was of her sitting on a tree stump, a field in the back round. Cahira found it rather embarrassing that a picture of her was hanging over the entrance to the tower that she lived in. Wouldn't people get suspicious?

The portrait stood out among the others, for one, it was the largest and most colorful in the hall. For two, it was of something that had no line of interest in this world. And for three, it wasn't moving. All the other portraits had moving people in them, except that one. Her master began to pick up pace, and she picked hers up too. 

They were soon standing in front of two large doors, and Master Keiji pushed them open. Cahira followed him in, and saw a group of people sitting behind a long table at the front of the room. 

Master Keiji stopped, and pushed Cahira with his eyes to the front. Cahira had learned to swallow pride and orders over fear and shallowness. She took easy strides toward the front, her head held high, and her eyes trained forth. At the front of the room, she fell to her knees gracefully.

"Cahira" the man in the middle said. He knew it would be no use to ask her to stand, so he didn't bother. "My child, you came to us at the beginning of July, just a while after school was let out. Now it is nearing the end of August, and we have no clue as to where we will keep you during the school year."

"But Master Dumbledore, you must let me stay. I have nowhere to go" Cahira said, her voice starting to edge with panic. "I can't go back, and you must understand this" Cahira pleaded.

"Lady Cahira!" Master Keiji's voice echoed through the hall, as he approached. "You have learned more then to grovel. Stand up and show your pride" Master Keiji said. Cahira stood, wiping her face from any water that had escaped.

"Master Dumbledore, if I keep my presence un-noticed by the students, am I willing to stay?" Cahira asked.

"Even so, how will you eat? Students will notice if a teacher is gone every meal all year" Dumbledore said. _He is just making it more difficult _Cahira thought.

"Then is there any other way?" Cahira asked.

"Yes, one" Dumbledore said. Cahira's eye's shined with hope. "You must teach a self defense class in your tower, and you are free to walk around the castle. I ask of you not to change any of your current standings in your living. We will be announcing the class in two days, the beginning of school. Until then, you may find yourself getting ready" Dumbledore said.

"Thank you sir, I will not let you down" Cahira bowed.

"You may leave" Dumbledore said, and Cahira bowed again, before following her master back to the tower.

"Albus, is it wise to have someone so young be teaching the students?" Minerva McGonagall asked.

"Yes, it is her only hope. To keep her safe" Dumbledore began, "And others."

**~*~*~**

**Crystal****: I used Sango's clothing because I love it and I think it will fit very well. I also used her hair style because I planned on her hair being black from the beginning. I think it is progressing slowly, and to tell you, this story is not 'Harry' centered. It is Cahira centered, all about her story, and why she must stay at Hogwarts. Yes, she is at Hogwarts. Hiding in Hogwarts, in fact. Opps, I have given to much information away already. I will try and get the new chapter up, I just need peoples feed back. Do you like it? Does it suck? Would you rather cut your arm off and through it at me rather then read the next chapter?**

**Well, I hope to hear from my readers. I love keeping in contact with them, so be free to AIM or e-mail me. I'll be seeing you…  **    ****

       


	2. Arrivals

**Crystal****: This may as well be the oddest fic you will ever read. The idea came to me while watching Rurouni Kenshin one day. This idea has always appealed to me, and now I am finally putting it down on paper for the world to see. It may really suck, but that's your opinion, isn't it my friend.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, but NOW I own all five books. The character Cahira Zeva Aiden is my character and is not allowed to be used. She is not based on a real person in any circumstances. Yes, this is boring, but it's important. So you can't sue me. I also do own the people who you do not recognize, so they are mine. No stealing please.**

**Crystal: The two paragraphs above will almost never change, just so you know you will not have to keep reading them. I would usually put below who has reviewed to this story, and answer their questions and such, but no one has yet to review. If I do happen to get one before I finish this chapter, I will add it in at the top. Alright, you had enough of me, on with the story…**

**~*~*~**

Cahira looked around the training area, glad with her success. The room was fully ready to be a classroom. The court took up the whole room, and about ¾ of it was sand. The other ¼ was at the left end of the court, about 2 yards in width and going all the way across. Among it were three rows of ten seats, allowing only thirty to take this class. The rest of the court was still sand.

The sand bag dummies that she had sliced early were now no where to be seen, but there were beams, a fighting area, sandbag dummies, everything you would need to be a trainer. The room was Japanese styled, with the walls being almost see through to the other room. There was a large window on the north side of the room, from the outside only visible as a slit from the grounds. Right next to it was another step up area, where a small indoor pond was. There was a small waterfall running from the wall, pouring into a slit of bamboo which would turn down to let the water escape into the pond when it got too heavy. 

There was also a small table there, and this is where she would congratulate her students. It was usually used for a relaxing place to have tea and rice after a fight, and she would still use it for that reason.

She had found all her old swords, much duller then the one she used now, since the one she had at the moment was one of a kind. It was called a Silver Dragon Blade. It cut very nicely, and very fast, but what gave it its name was the silver dragon carved into the left right side of the blade, which was always to be faced away from the swordsmen. The handle also was made out of many silver dragons, wrapping themselves around one another, which may look very uncomfortable to hold, but it was actually quite easy. The sword was only made for her family, considering when you look at it, it shines with a fiery glow, like their last name.   

The sword had been passed down through her family, and now that…that…she was the only one left in her family line, she had to use it. It was this reason she could not return to her home. But, Cahira kept her face stern. The first thing she would teach her students was discipline, which most of them probably needed badly. She would turn these students into warriors, like herself, and finally be called a master of the sword.

Although Master Keiji already called her such, she couldn't believe it unless she trained someone herself. Master Keiji was now retired, but he used to be a great swordsman until he almost got his leg cut off in a fight. A fight to protect her, when she was little. Cahira shook her head, letting the thoughts drip away from her. She did not want to go back to any of that at the moment.

Master Keiji had also said that she was one of the most skilled swordsmen in the land, and probably one of the only. She had grown up in Japan, though her father was half Irish half Greek, and her mother was American. She had been brought up in Japan to learn the ways of the sword, and to keep safe. Cahira shook her heads once more. Anyway she went in thoughts, it always brought the reason she was in this miserable castle. Cahira hurled the pillow she was placing across the room in anger, flushed with rage.

She stood and put it back, before heading back into the wooded hallway. It had the nice sent of tea leaves and chicken ramen. Being brought up in Japan had also been the reason she had grown to like their foods, and live in their style. Her name was not Japanese, though. Her first name, Cahira, was Irish, and it meant 'warrior'. Her middle name, Zeva, was Greek and it meant 'sword'. And her last name, Aiden, came from her great great grandfather, who was Celtic, and it meant 'fire'.

Cahira stepped into a room just down the hall from the training/class room. Inside was Master Keiji, standing over a small stove. It was true, she had her own kitchen in this tower, but Master Keiji said he did not want her to turn to stone. He wanted her to keep a soul, so she would have to eat meals in the hall. The kitchen was put there for tea, rice, and ramen. There was a circular table in the middle of the kitchen, only about a foot off of the floor. Around it was about 6 cushions for sitting.

There were beautiful red and white roses filling vases around the room, and many cabinets filled with tea cups, bowls, ramen, rice, tea, teapots, and many other things. There was a sink, stove as mentioned earlier, a fridge, and drawers. There was one trashcan hidden beneath the sink, which was shown because Master Keiji was using it while he cooked. 

"Dinner will be ready in a half a hour, Lady Cahira" Master Keiji said. Cahira bowed, and left the room, going into the one on the left when she came out. Across from that room was the bathroom, sitting itself between the kitchen and guest room. The guest room was next to the training/class room.

Her room was very simple. A small table, many vases of red and white roses, and some yellow. She had a large bed, provided by the castle, which she had lowered closer to the floor. It was covered in white sheets with gold dragons sewn into them, her mother had made it. Her pillow had the same design as well, her grandmother had made this. Then she had an overhanging on the bed that was sheer white with many golden dragons sewn into it, her mother, her grandmother, and herself had made this. She had a bookshelf, and a wardrobe. She had a special closet where she kept her battle clothes, and she had many pictures of her family and places in Japan. 

On the farthest wall in the room, closest to the window [where she had put blue and purple cushions along with a lamp and flower] (**A/N Because you know how you can sit in them, because they have like an outset thing. It shows in the first HP movie) was a silver dragon with large amethyst blue eyes. It held it's arms out, just in the right shape so it could hold the sword.**

On the dragons' feet, and in many other places around the room, were candles. She had incense burning, being held away from everything so as not to be dangerous. In fact, it was being held in a silver box hanging from the ceiling in front of the dragon.

Cahira walked up to the dragon, taking incense, and lighting one of the candles at its feet. She bowed, and stayed that way for a few minutes, before blowing on the candle and watching it flicker. Bowing once more, she stood, and walked back to the kitchen.

"Have you finished with your respects?" Master Keiji asked.

"Yes" Cahira said.

"That is good. Now sit, the rice is done" Master Keiji said. He placed a china bowl in front of her, and a pair of chopsticks. She bowed to him, and noticed he had also added some shrimp and seasoning to the rice.

"I shall poor the tea" Cahira said, standing and walking over to the stove. Pouring the hot liquid into a china pot, she put out china cups. (**A/N This is only the style. Just because she used to live in ****Japan****, doesn't mean that everything has to be Japanese. Besides, I have no clue what Japanese cups or anything like that, look like. But, I do know the cups don't have handles.) She poured the tea, and sat herself back down, just breathing in the scents. **

She began to eat quietly, like always, and poured more tea for herself and Master Keiji when the time is right.

"Lady Cahira" Master Keiji said, breaking the peaceful silence. Cahira looked up. "As you know, I am leaving tonight. Tomorrow, the school arrives, but do not forget to train. Your classes do not begin till next week, for tomorrow is a Thursday, and Friday through Sunday the students have time to join your class.

"They have a lake here, so try and purify yourself when necessary. I have asked Dumbledore about a waterfall, hidden from school view, and he said he may think about it. That way, the water will be fresh, and you will not have to tolerate with the creatures in the water" Master Keiji said. Cahira bowed.

"If I may ask a question, Master, when shall you be returning?" Cahira asked.

"Around the holiday in December, maybe a few visits before then. But, try and feel it. I'm not sure when I will be here, so you must be prepared with a thought" Master Keiji said. Cahira nodded. They soon finished, and Cahira walked with Master Keiji to the castle entrance.

"Goodbye, Master Keiji" Cahira said, bowing.

"Goodbye, Cahira" Master Keiji said. He bowed, leaving onto the path, and fading into the night. Cahira walked back to the tower, entering her room. She washed up, changing into a pair of blue, satin pants with silver dragons on them. She changed into a white, sleeveless top. She slipped under the covers, letting sleep overtake her stress-filled body.

~*~*~

Cahira let herself sleep the next morning, forgetting her masters' orders. She was having a lovely dream, about someone she had met on her way to Hogwarts. His name was Calin (**A/N Pronounced Call-in**). She had run into him while traveling through London, and they had sat and talked for a while. She knew his name meant 'warrior' in Irish as well. His last name had sounded Celtic, too, but she couldn't remember it at the moment. He had black, spiky hair that seemed to fall over his eyes. He had what seemed to be dark indigo eyes, very much matching her own. He had a British accent, and she had learned that he grew up in London. His father was full Irish, and he had no clue of his mothers' heritage, for she had run out on him when he was young. 

She had told him about her family, and about traditions. But, that was then. She had no clue when she would ever see him again.

In her dream, they had been sitting at the same café, Master Keiji chasing pigeons. Suddenly, everything had gone dark, and many shadowy figures appeared. All of them were holding bows, but had no arrows. They would fling the string, but instead of arrows, bright light would flash towards them. Calin had grabbed her hand, and they began racing through a sudden maze. She kept looking back, but nothing was following her. They stopped in the heart, and Calin opened his mouth to say something. But his voice was cut out with his scream of pain, and he fell to the floor, dead. The figures had then surrounded her, and she was left alone.

Cahira sat up strait in her bed, sweat trickling down her face. She left her bed, walking across the hall into the washroom. Running the facet, she splashed the water onto her face, and wiped it with a towel. She looked at herself in the mirror before sighing. This was a very recurring dream, and it kept getting further and further. She walked out of the washroom, and back into hers, over to her wardrobe.

She opened it up, looking through all her haoris and her traveling clothes, thinking about what to wear for the day. She would have preferred not to train, and remembered that she had not yet knew every inch of the castle. If Dumbledore had expected her to be a teacher, she would need to know this school top to bottom.

It was actually a bit un-nerving, since some of the students would be her age and some even older. She shook her head, to many stressful and nervous thoughts kept creeping into her head, but she must be strong. She quickly choose her purple haori, which was the opposite of most, because the top was purple and the bottom was white. She put her hair back into a loose ponytail, and then slipped into her black sandals. 

She walked into the kitchen, pouring herself some tea. She always had a pot on the stove, so it was already for her when she wanted it. She cooked herself some rice, pouring some soy sauce on it. Eating it slowly with her chopsticks, she let the sun from the window over the stove soak her body. When she finished, she cleaned up, walking down the hall and down the tower steps. 

She must have been really bored this day, because she found herself counting the steps. When she finally reached the bottom, she realized that there were 239 steps all the way up. Unlocking the door, she stepped out behind the large portrait, to come face-to-face with Professor Dumbledore.

"Mas-Master Dumbledore" Cahira said.

"Oh, please, Cahira, you may call me Professor or Albus" Dumbledore said.

"Alright-er-Albus" Cahira said. Dumbledore smiled.

"Now, Cahira, since your tower will now be a classroom, I'll be needing you to make a password for your portrait. This also means I will have to enchant your portrait" Dumbledore said.

"Oh, that's fine. The password" Cahira said, thinking. Then her birthday came into mind. "Haru kin'youbi" Cahira said. "It may be a little confusing, but it is Japanese. It means Spring Friday" Cahira said. Dumbledore nodded. He flicked his wand, and her portrait self came to life, suddenly beginning to train.

"For your first class, Cahira, meet your students in front of the portrait, because they will not yet know of the password. You must remember it, and before every class, I would check the front of the portrait, incase someone forgets the password. Now, I suspect you will want to roam the castle. Dinner is at 7:30pm, but I would be there a bit early, for the students arrive at 7:20pm and will be in the hall at 7:30pm. If you would like to be there earlier, you may. It's not very important if you arrive early, and you can arrive late if you must" Dumbledore said.

"But Mas-er-Albus, I would never be late. Is there something I should wear?" Cahira asked.  
  


"Whatever you are most comfortable in" Dumbledore said, before he walked off and his robes swished out of site. Cahira smiled, before she went to memorize the castle.

~*~*~

Cahira stepped into the Great Hall, where some of the teachers were talking up at the table. They were all seated, and a few were missing. Cahira suddenly felt more jolts of nervousness, until Dumbledore found her eye. She relaxed.

"Ah, Cahira, come and join us" Dumbledore said. Cahira smiled, and walked up to the table. Both sides of Dumbledore were empty, and she knew that one of the seats were for the new DADA teacher. Dumbledore motioned to the seat beside him, and Cahira sat, right next to Professor Flitwick.

"Hello deary" Flitwick said. (**A/N Do any of you readers know Flitwicks' first name?**)

"Oh, hello" Cahira said. "I'm Cahira."

"I'm Professor Flitwick" Flitwick said. Cahira smiled. She looked over at Dumbledore who was talking with another teacher she had seen when she had been told she was a teacher. She looked out the large windows behind them, and then saw all the teachers returning to their seats.

"They should be arriving" Cahira muttered, and no later then she said it, had the entrance hall been filled with voices and footsteps. The door swung open, and in piled many assortments of students. Many of them looked up at her, and smiled at the man who was sitting in the DADA chair. She tried not to look at any of them, keeping her face hard and looking at the back of the room. 

Many looked at her interestingly, some looking at the wall to see what had captured her attentions, but nothing was there. They just all presumed her to be crazy.

"Cahira" Dumbledore whispered. Cahira broke down her inferior, bending over to Dumbledore. "Would you prefer to be called Lady Cahira by your students, or Professor Aiden?" Dumbledore asked.

"Master Cahira" Cahira smiled, and Dumbledore followed suit. She turned back to the front, now smiling and watching the students. She no longer felt embarrassed, and the man on the other side of Dumbledore seemed nice as well.

"Hello" Cahira said to him. He smiled at her. He had brown hair, which had specks of gray filling it. He had a very worn face, but a smile on it.

"Hello, nice to meet you" the man said. Cahira smiled.

"Nice to meet you too. My name is Cahira" she said.

"You can call me Remus" the man said. Cahira nodded, and their conversation was cut off as the large doors of the Great Hall swung open once more. A woman walked in, and she walked up to the teachers table. She pulled out a stool and a hat, and then walked back down the hall. A minute later, the hall burst open again and more students piled in. They all looked extremely frightened, but walked behind the woman. As she got closer, Cahira recognized her as Minerva McGonagall. She had also been at the table when Cahira had been ordered to teach.

They arrived, and McGonagall walked up to stand behind the stool with the hat on it. Cahira couldn't see from there, but out of nowhere, the hat began to sing.

~*~*~

**Earlier…**

"Harry!" Cried a voice of a distressed friend. A 16 year old Harry Potter turned from piling his things into a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. He saw the head of his red headed, freckled friend, Ron. The voice he had heard had not been Ron's, so his only guess was that Hermione was with him. His friend arrived beside him, his trunk in one hand, and his crazy owl in the other.

"Shut up Pig" Ron said as he approached Harry. "Nice summer?" Ron asked his friend.

"Wasn't as bad as I expected. I passed my drivers test" Harry smiled.

"So, it's not like you'd really need it" Ron said, beginning to push his things into the compartment also.

"Actually, it could become quite handy in the future" Harry said. "By the way, where's Hermione?" Harry asked.

"I saw her just a minute ago. She was right behind me" Ron said. He scanned the crowd. "Can't catch a sight of her, but wait till you see what she's done to herself, I mean" Ron began, but was cut off by another call.

"Harry!" It was still Hermione's voice, but it didn't look like Hermione who stepped out of the large crowd smiling. No, this girl had strait hair, with her bangs hanging lightly in front of her hairs. Her hair itself reached right above her hips, and she was wearing a black plaid skirt and white turtleneck. She was also in a pair of white tights, and a pair of black shoes. Completely muggle oriented. 

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

"Yep, I got it done over the summer, do you like it" Hermione asked, putting a strand of hair behind her ear. A flash of black hair went through Harry's mind. "Hello, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry looked perplexed. Hermione snapped her fingers in front of his eyes, and he shook his head.

"Sorry" Harry said.

"Still upset about Cho, huh?" Hermione asked, as she put her things in the compartment with the help of Ron and Harry.

"No" Harry said, trying to plaster a smile on his face, but Hermione's look was stern.

"What happened, Harry?" Hermione asked, sitting down in the train. Ron looked nervously, and then looked out the door.

"I think I'll go say bye to my mum now, and help Ginny bring her stuff in, yea" Ron said, stepping out of the compartment.

"You know what happened; I don't need to go over it again. You both were there" Harry said, not noticing Ron take his leave.

"Yes, but that wasn't anything final, was it?" Hermione asked.

"I guess it was" Harry said, turning to look out the window. Hermione stood from her position across from him, and sat down next to him, hair falling over her face.

"We woman are pretty hard to understand, Harry. Did she try and contact you in any way?" Hermione asked softly. Harry shook his head. "Did she say anything to you before her leave, I mean, it was her last year" Hermione said. Harry shook his head.

"I mean, I didn't mean to get that mad at her. We finally got together, and she had to bring up Cedric, again. I lost my temper, and you saw the rest" Harry mumbled.

"Harry, you have to understand that she cared severely for Cedric, and she may have even loved him. The topic is a sad yet happy one for her, and I guess she just can't find herself to move on from him. You'll just have to learn that she may need a life without you, and you may have to deal with that" Hermione said. Harry nodded.

"I guess your right" Harry said, then noticing where she was sitting, looked around the rest of the compartment. "Oi, where's Ron?" He asked, looking at Hermione.

"I don't know, he must have snuck off" Hermione said, and then she smiled. "Guess what I found out about Ron?" Hermione smiled more.

"What?" Harry asked. Hermione leaned in, whispering in his ear. Harry broke apart smiling. "Who?" He asked.

"I don't know, Ginny just told me. He has been up in his room all summer, like Percy was" Hermione said.

"I think he's starting to resemble Percy a bit TOO much" a voice said from the door. They turned and saw Ginny entering, Ron behind her. He had seemed not to have heard. Following behind him were none other then…

"Fred, George" Harry smiled. Their events last year still blazed in his mind. "I never got to thank you last year, so, thank you."

"Well, we were sort of in a hurry" George said.

"Yea, didn't want Umbridge to get to us" Fred said.

"Well, I personally hope that she chose not to nose around in our school anymore, especially after Dumbledore came back. I sure hope he found a new DADA teacher, and potions. If I at all want to be an Auror after Hogwarts, I'll sure need some nice ones" Harry sighed.

"Don't worry, he wouldn't keep Umbridge, even if it meant hiring another Mythical Creature for the job" Ginny laughed.

"Well, we better go. Harry, Hermione, always a pleasure. Bye fellow Weaslys" Fred said, and George waved as they left. Michael Corner soon walked in, setting Ron on 'big brother' mode again, but soon got comfortable as they got to know each other.

"You guys, I just found out something" Ginny said as Michael left.

"And what is that?" Hermione asked, placing the book she had been reading down. It had nearly been two hours since they left the station.

"Well, Michael told me that he heard from his friends' father, who works at the Ministry, that they have a new teacher at Hogwarts. Apparently, she was just signed on two days ago" Ginny said.

"What class do they teach?" Ron asked.

"A Defense class" Ginny said. 

"So maybe they're the new DADA teacher" Harry suggested.

"No, Michael said it had more to do with physical defense, but he didn't know too many details. I guess we'll have to wait till we arrive, huh?" Ron said, and he and Harry went back to their game of Exploding Snap. 

~*~*~

They all piled into a carriage as they arrived at Hogwarts finally. The rumor about the teacher had spread up and down the train, and now all the students knew. They chatted back and forth limitedly, but soon broke the tension as they stepped onto the threshold of Hogwarts. Many people were already approaching the Great Hall, and they followed the crowd in. 

They stepped into the familiar hall, sitting down first so they could claim seats. Their eyes shot up to the teachers table, at first looking for the new DADA teacher. They smiled when they met the man's eyes. Remus Lupin smiled down at them, but the girl on the other side of Dumbledore caught his attention.

Their eyes carried over to her as well.

"She's our age" Hermione hissed.

"We can see that, Hermione" Ron hissed, causing several to laugh.

"But, she can't be the new teacher if she's our age" Hermione said.

"Actually, she could Hermione" Harry said.

"And how would you know?" Hermione asked.

"I got bored over the summer, so I read _Hogwarts, a History_ and _The Hogwarts Rulebook_" Harry said.

"We've lost you, mate" Ron said, hitting him on the back a few times. Hermione glared at him.

"Well, it's weird how she's dressed though. She looks like she doesn't even live in England" Hermione said.

"Yea, and look at her side" Ron said.

"A sword" Harry finished.

"I'm guessing we'll learn more about her after the sorting" Hermione said, and at that very moment, Professor McGonagall walked in with a batch of first years. They all watched as they were lead to the front, and then has the hat burst into song.   

            

       


	3. Tea Time

**Crystal****: This may as well be the oddest fic you will ever read. The idea came to me while watching Rurouni Kenshin one day. This idea has always appealed to me, and now I am finally putting it down on paper for the world to see. It may really suck, but that's your opinion, isn't it my friend.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, but NOW I own all five books. The character Cahira Zeva Aiden is my character and is not allowed to be used. She is not based on a real person in any circumstances. Yes, this is boring, but it's important. So you can't sue me. I also do own the people who you do not recognize, so they are mine. No stealing please.**

**Crystal****: Well, I just finished the 5th Harry Potter book, and after I finished the 35th chapter, I went into hysterics for 30 minutes. I am still in hysterics, and I scold myself when I happen to smile. So, I'm in a deep state of depression, and the only thing I now find peaceful is my writing. I do not know if I will let the occurrences in book 5 affect my story, though some seemed to. The fact that Sirius Black died will not be concluded in this story, since I still cannot pass the topic of him de…dea…de, well, you know what I'm trying to say. Hopefully, I will not get flames for my belief, and it would be generally nice of any people who do happen to get as far as this chapter, to give me some comforting words. Thank you for your generosity.       **

            

**~*~*~**

Cahira looked in amazement as the hat continued on with its song, and then go back to stillness once more. The hall of students clapped, and the professors as well, so she followed suit. Then, Minerva began to call names from a large scroll she had in her hand, and a student would walk up to the stool. 

They looked very frightened, and would shake as the hat was placed on their head. The hat would sit for a while, or maybe barely touch the head, before shouting out an odd name, such as 'Ravenclaw.' The sorting of sorts finished after a while, and the hall quieted once more. Dumbledore stood from his chair beside Cahira.

"Welcome, to another prosperous year at Hogwarts. Like always, we will enjoy a riveting feast, followed by the school announcements. Tuck in" Dumbledore said, and the food appeared on the tables. Cahira was glad that they had food she might enjoy, and a pair of chopsticks set by her plate. She also saw that everyone else in the Great Hall also sported a pair of chopsticks. Some boys were having a sword fight with them, while some knew what they were. Others were asking others what they were, and many looked up at the staff table.

Cahira giggled, putting rice and shrimp and chicken onto her plate, as well as some bread. She poured soy sauce onto her rice, and picked up her chopsticks, beginning to eat. Many students tried to follow her example, but failed miserably.

When the plates cleared, dessert replaced the dishes, but Cahira didn't touch anything. She looked over at Remus who was talking with Minerva, who was situated beside him.

"Hello Minerva" Cahira said, one of her first words over the last hour. McGonagall looked up startled, and then smiled at Cahira.

"Good evening Cahira" McGonagall said, before going back into her conversation with Remus. Cahira sighed, looking around at all the happy faces. She missed her parents, and Master Keiji. She had hoped on returning to Japan by the end of summer, but from what Master Keiji had explained, it was not possible.

**Flashback…**

****

_They walked back up to the castle, Cahira re-thinking the actions she had just done. Yes, she thought she would soon be leaving the castle, but from the glances Master Keiji had given her, it told her to at least be able to make home here._

_"Why do I need to stay, Master Keiji?" Cahira asked._

_"Well, Cahira, they're still spread all over __Japan__ looking for you. Some have caught our trail, but haven't even got close to __France__. It is still dangerous back home, so you will reside here until they are taken care of" Master Keiji said sternly._

_"And what about Akane, Hoshi, and Yoko? What will happen to them?" Cahira asked._

_"Well, they haven't been able to detect the other members of the group, so they are perfectly safe at the least. I have notified their parents, though, and they always are ready in case they are asked to move" Master Keiji said._

_"To where?"__ Cahira whispered._

_"We'd scatter them, so in that way, none of you will come to harm. But if it does happen, all of you will be transported here, in case the other spots have been grounded. Hogwarts is very safe, out of the eye of harm, so they may never find it. Being that they do posses some magic, it would not be strong enough as to break into Hogwarts or get past the many new defenses Dumbledore has put up to protect it since the Dark Lords' rising" Master Keiji said. Cahira nodded as her Master finished, and they continued on in silence, back to the tower._

**End Flashback…**

The hall quieted, breaking Cahira from her thoughts as Dumbledore stood once again. The plates had all been cleared, and now everyone had their eyes on Dumbledore.

"Now, as I said before, welcome back to another marvelous year. A quick reminder to first years, and any others who seem to find their selves not in line with this rule, the Forbidden Forest is not to be entered. Also, for this years new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, we give a welcome back to Remus Lupin" Dumbledore said. The hall filled with cheers, and looks of disgust flew from one table. 

"Also, many of you may have noticed the young woman sitting beside me, who will be staying with us for this year. She will be teaching a Self Defense class, and signups will take place over the weekend, for 6th and 7th years only. The sign-up parchment is located on the wall by her classroom. Please welcome Cahira Aiden" Dumbledore said. The students clapped out of respect, and Cahira stood and bowed. She sat back down, and Dumbledore finished his speech.

"Also, many new items have been added to the Banned list hanging on Mr. Filch's door, so if any, be sure to check it out. Now, with food in our stomachs, I issue you a good night. Also, as a reminder, will all 1st years follow their house prefects" Dumbledore said, and the hall bustled once more. Cahira watched as all the teachers stood, and she did as well. Some of the teachers stood around and talked a bit, but many left.

Cahira's senses caught onto a familiar aura, but she let it slip as she walked out into the hall. Many people watched her as she walked by, up the marble staircase, and down the 1st floor corridor. She waved goodnight to Remus who was traveling to the 7th floor, and she continued on her way. Never did she notice that a few eyes were following her, till she turned the corner and disappeared.

~*~*~ 

"So, her class is on the first floor" Hermione said, as they made there way up to the Gryffindor common room.

"I don't think, in all the years we've been here, we have ever been down that corridor" Harry said.

"Yea, maybe it used to be forbidden like the 3rd floor" Ron suggested.

"No, we probably would have heard if it was. Maybe there has just never been a class there" Hermione said.

"Sorry, mate, but Hermione's answer sounds more plausible" Harry said, patting Ron on the back.

"Oi, whatever. Let's just get some sleep" Ron said, and they hurried upstairs.

~*~*~

"What is with her and those weird outfits, do you think?" Hermione asked, sitting down next day, and looking up at Cahira and Remus, who were talking.

"Who knows?" Ron said, before digging into breakfast.

"Well, we have all today and tomorrow without classes, so what do you propose we do?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, but did you guys get those notices by your beds this morning?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, about those job things?" Harry asked. Ron's mouth was to full of food to talk.

"Yea, saying which subjects we'd have to take this year to be able to do them" Hermione said. Harry nodded. "Well, they told us during our interviews last year about what standards we would need to have the job we wished for, but they've added something to mine" Hermione said.

"Mine too" Harry said.

"'e twe" Ron said, swallowing a mouthful of bacon.

"Really, Ron, you're almost as bad as Dudley" Harry said, earning him a glare.

"Well, what subject did they add to yours?" Hermione asked.

"The Self Defense class. So, I guess I'll go sign up when we finish" Harry said.

"It says I'll need to be taking that as well, I'll come with you" Hermione said. Ron just merely raised his hand.

"Hermione, you never told us what job you were looking for" Harry said, looking at her as he buttered his toast.

"Well, I thought about it a lot, and then thought about the people in the" her Hermione leaned in "_Order" she pulled back out "and I've decided maybe I'll try for an Auror too" Hermione finished._

"Which means, we'll have almost all our classes together" Harry said.

"Yes, seems so" Hermione said. Ron swallowed his food.

"Rotten luck for me then" Ron muttered. "I though about Charlie's work with Dragons, and decided that sounded like a job that I would like to get into. So, I'll be taking classes concerning that" Ron said.

"I'm guessing that Transfiguration isn't one of them" Hermione said.

"Nope, but potions is" Run muttered darkly.

"Well, we have potions too, so don't worry about it" Harry said, trying to lighten the mood. Finished with their breakfast, they walked into the entrance hall.

"Um, Hermione" Harry said, as they walked into the 1st floor corridor.

"Hmm" was all Hermione said.

"How will we know where the classroom is?" Harry asked, hurrying to keep up with her long strides,

"Well" Hermione said, keeping up her pace, "We'll just have to look where a bunch of students are. Maybe there will be some sort of hint." At just that moment, Cahira passed them without a look, continued to the end of the hall.

"Now that just had to be luck" Ron said, as they followed her. She reached a corner, turned, and they followed her. They were now in a large square hallway, full of nothing but portraits. Cahira was standing near the largest one. The trio gasped.

"Well, we may have been able to find it on our own, considering the picture is of her" Hermione said. Cahira turned at the sound of Hermione's voice, and smiled.

"Hello there" she said. "Are you here to sign up for my class?" She asked. They nodded. "Well, thank you for doing so. You'd be the first ones" Cahira said, looking down at the floor for a moment. Cahira bit her lip, looking up once more.

"I'm Cahira" she said. She noticed how they had not moved from their spot. "You can come over here, I don't bite" she laughed a bit. The trio walked over, looking around at all the paintings. They were all of wizards or witches, except for this one, and the only thing it had in common with the others was the sword. Each picture had the same sword. Cahira smiled. "Anything wrong?" She asked them as they stood in front of her. They shook their heads. She was a half an inch shorter then Harry, half an inch taller then Hermione, about 3 inches shorter then Ron. She was, in fact, their age.

"So, your names are?" She asked.

"Harry Potter."

"Hermione Granger."

"Ron Weasley."

"Nice to meet you" Cahira said. She sighed. "You have no clue how weird this is" she said.

"I can only imagine" Harry muttered.

"So, you're here to sign up for the class. The list is right there" Cahira said, pointing to a piece of parchment attached to the wall. A quill was magically attached to it. They walked forward, adding their names.

"Would you like to come up?" Cahira asked. She had been lonely, and Remus had disappeared after breakfast, as to why she had come back to her tower.

"To where?" Hermione asked, finishing her name and allowing Ron to put his.

"My tower?" Cahira asked.

"You have your own tower?" Ron asked, as he let go of the quill, finishing his name.

"Yes, I live and teach in it, would you like to come up?" Cahira asked. The trio nodded. Cahira stood to the side of the portrait. "Haru kin'youbi" Cahira said, and the portrait swung open a little. Cahira held it, letting the others enter.

It was dark and had an ancient castle feeling and texture to it. The only light came from the hallway, but it disappeared as soon as the portrait swung back into place. They heard footsteps in the outer hall, and people walking towards them.

"Rigufutsu" Cahira said, and torches lit up the spiraling stairs. Cahira began up them, and the trio followed. There was nothing adorning the walls except for the torches, and a few times, there would be an indent in the wall where a vase of red and white roses would sit. A while later, the steps turned to wood, and the walls still stone. They reached the top landing, where it was fully lit with a window. The walls were now a weird material which looked as if see through. The rooms received light from hanging, paper lamps over head.

"Over here, is where you can sit" Cahira said. She led them to the training room. "Take a seat at the table on the far end" Cahira said. She turned to leave.

"Wait, Cahira, what is this place?" Hermione asked.

"This used to only be a training room, but it is now your class room. I ask you to take your shoes off before continuing" Cahira said, and she walked back into the hall. They slipped out of their shoes and socks, walking across the wood that held the 30 cushions. They sat down on the purple cushions, when Cahira came back with a teapot and a bowl. She slipped out of her sandals, walking across the sand. She opened the cabinet, setting the things at her feet. She pulled out four bowls and tea cups. She put them around the table, pouring all of them tea, and then splitting the rice which had been in the bowl.

She gave everyone a pair of chopsticks, and took out two small pouring utensils, one full of lemon juice, and one full of soy sauce. 

"Enjoy" she said, before pouring some soy sauce onto her rice and beginning to eat. They followed, and found it quite delicious. 

"So, Cahira, what do you plan on teaching the students?" Hermione asked.

"Would you like to see?" Cahira asked, smiling. The trio nodded, and she stood. She stepped onto the sand, facing two sand bag dummies. She did her started routine, like the first time she had done the attack. She had found a flaw with it, and had fixed it an hour after she had discovered it. She left the hand in her right hand, looking between the two opponents.

Letting out a yell, she rushed forward and did a swing so fast, it wasn't visible. Stopping, she twirled with another swipe, looking at her opponents. They seemed to be unharmed, but then their bodies split in half and their heads fell from their bodies. 

The trio stared in awe as she slipped her sword away, and made her way over.

"Will we learn to do that?" Ron asked.

"Oh, that's an easy trick I learned to do in a year. Yes, it's quite possible" Cahira said.

"So, there are more advanced skills?" Hermione asked.

"Oh yes, but that one is incredibly easy, so I thought I'd show you that one. It doesn't take much preparation, but I can do some more that are harder" Cahira said.

"Cahira, where are you from?" Hermione asked.

"Actually" Cahira said, setting down the tea she was about to drink, "I really don't know. My names are Irish, and so is my father. But, I was brought up in Japan. My parents died three years ago, and I never really earned of my heritage. All of my father's relatives are deceased, and my mother was disconnected from the world, leaving no one with any information about her family. I call myself Irish, Greek, Celtic, and Japanese, though I am not sure which I am" Cahira said quietly. They all looked at her. She smiled up at them smalley. 

"I'm sorry to have made you feel pity towards me, or if I made you feel sad. Whichever topic I seem to be on always leads to dramatic events of my past. But, lets forget about that, shall we" Cahira said. She finished her tea and rice, and the others did as well.

"Thank you for joining me. I get very lonely, and the only friend I've actually made is Remus" Cahira said.

"Oh, Professor Lupin. He's nice, isn't he?" Hermione said.

"Yes, very. He told me not to worry about him if he didn't show up in a long shot of time, but I told him I would anyway. He told me you knew about his situation, and he told me as well. It seems he only trusts his good friends and colleagues" Cahira said. The trio looked at her, surprised at how adult she was. They were also surprised she knew that Lupin was a werewolf.

"I told him about my friend Sagara, who was also a werewolf. I didn't find out till I was 10, and told him I'd help him. And I did. He is no longer a werewolf" Cahira said. The trio looked at her, shocked.

"So you can heal Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, his voice edgy with excitement.

"Yes, but the task is extremely difficult. I need special ingredients, and I've already owled a friend in Japan who can get me some. But, I'm still missing the tooth of a centaur, three hairs of a werewolf, a leave from a dark energy tree, the wing of a cupid, the toenail of a dwarf, and the blood of a pure hearted" Cahira said.

"The spell is very complex, and can be used by any experienced magic user. It's an ancient spell, from the 1700s. It can only be done while the werewolf being used is transformed, and is tied arms and legs down in a bath of moonlight. I will most likely, if lucky, be able to finish by late April, with help" Cahira said.

"We can help" Harry said. "Our friend Hagrid knows the forest very well, and I'm sure we can find the ingredients you're looking for."

"Yes, maybe, but the hardest is the blood of a pure hearted. It is hard to tell who is most pure hearted, so I will have to use my training to find one. The hair we can get from Remus, and the toenail we can get from the dwarfs that patrol the dungeons. I've heard the centaurs live in the forest, so we can get the tooth there, as well as the dark energy. On Valentines Day, I will use my training again and get the wing of a cupid. Well, not a whole wing, but more like five feathers.

"The thing is, they only appear when two soul mates are sitting together, but do not know they are meant to be. So, I'll need two people to get together and see if they are the ones. Will one of you two do it?" Cahira asked. Ron, who wasn't listening closely, scooted away when he heard this. Cahira gave them a pleading look, and they nodded.

"For Remus" Harry smiled. 

"Yes" Cahira smiled. "Well, I'm going to go outside for a while. And I can't leave you alone in my tower. But, while I get changed, you can stay in here" Cahira said. She stood and left the room, crossing the hall, and disappearing.

"Well, she's extremely nice" Hermione said, pouring herself some more tea.

"Yea, and doesn't she just have that air of mystery about her" Ron said, sighing.

"Snap out of it Ron. She's a teacher, and you're a student. Even if she is our age, it's still against school rules" Hermione huffed. "Besides, she's probably not single anyway."

"Your most likely right about that" Harry said, as he poured himself more tea. Cahira entered minutes later, looking identical to the picture that guarded her tower. 

"Shall we be heading out?" Cahira asked. They nodded, standing and heading across the wood and into the hall. Cahira walked with them down the tower steps, and waited at the bottom.

"Ustufugir" Cahira said when everyone reached the bottom. She opened the portrait, and they all walked out.

"Good-day Master Cahira" the portrait said. Cahira smiled.

"Good-day Lady Cahira" Cahira giggled. She looked at the parchment at the side of the portrait, and sighed happily. "Almost full" Cahira said. The trio looked at it, and groaned when they came to a few names.

"Are all the students together in one class?" Harry asked.

"Yes, it's the only way possible that this would work" Cahira said. Hermione continued to scan the list, and let out a gasp. "What?" Cahira asked her. Hermione sighed with content.

"Calin Caedmon is signed up for the class" Hermione said, her eyes filled with stars. She didn't even notice Cahira's head shoot up at the name.

"Calin?" Cahira asked, looking at the boys who nodded.

"He's in our year, in Gryffindor as well. He just transferred last year" Ron said.

"And h-h-he's in t-t-t-this cla-s-s-ss?" Cahira stuttered.

"I guess so" Harry said. Cahira nodded, and a smile spread on her face.

"That's nice" she sighed. Hermione snapped out of her daze and looked up at Cahira who had a soft smile on her face and a dreamy look in her eyes. She sighed again, and began walking down the hall. The three followed her, and she didn't seem to notice till she stepped out into the heat of the summers day.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked her. Cahira turned.

"To purify myself" Cahira said, beginning her walk again.

"Mind if we come?" Harry asked.

"Suit yourself" Cahira said simply. She walked all the way around the lake, to a large waterfall hidden in the cliff.

"Has this always been here?" Ron asked. Before Cahira could have a chance to answer, Hermione did.

"I don't think so. I know _Hogwarts, A History _like the back of my hand. They would have mentioned a waterfall if there ever was one" Hermione stated.

"Well, it wasn't here before" Cahira said. "Dumbledore placed it here for me" Cahira said.

"Really?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. I use this waterfall to purify myself when I feel a need to, and I will be teaching my students to as well" Cahira said. "It's magical, but I cast the spell. Only Swordsmen or Buddhist Monks know the spell, and it's very easy when it is learned" Cahira explained. "You can only sue it once on a source of water, and it will be like that always. You cannot cast the spell on a source of water if another has already done so" Cahira explained.

"If you would like to stay and watch, you have every means to. It may prepare you for my class" Cahira said. She slowly slid out of her shoes, and slipped off her top, to reveal a halter made of bandages. The waterfall came from up high in the cliff, and fell into a small grove filled with smooth, colored rocks. Cahira walked along the few that were first, with perfect ease. She headed towards a white rock which was located in the center, and she held her arm over her head as she sat.

The water fell over her body, leaving the front un-touched by water. She closed her eyes, and let her mind free.

"That looks _very complex" Ron joked quietly._

"Actually" Cahira said, her eyes still closed. "It is very difficult."

"How did you hear him?" Harry asked in disbelief. "I could barely hear him."

"Well, as a part of purifying yourself, you must block off one scent. My hearing is my best, and then my sight. I'm not too good at smell. Touch is very easy to learn, but taste is not recommended. Taste and touch cannot be learned through purification. I can do all five" Cahira stated simply. The boys nodded. Thirty minutes later, Cahira walked back along the rocks. She put on her skirt and squeezed the water out of her hair. Where the droplets fell, tiny, white flowers grew.

"Wow" Hermione said, as she watched the flowers grow in a process that usually would have taken a year. And soon, all the flowers had formed, and a large tree with white leaves sat before them.

"Opps" Cahira said, putting a hand to her forehead. "Dumbledore warned me not to do that. In the water, in the water" Cahira repeated to herself. "Shall we be going?" Cahira asked, as she started walking back to the castle. The trio tore their gaze from the tree, and hurried after Cahira.             

  

       


	4. Excelled Few

**Crystal****: This may as well be the oddest fic you will ever read. The idea came to me while watching Rurouni Kenshin one day. This idea has always appealed to me, and now I am finally putting it down on paper for the world to see. It may really suck, but that's your opinion, isn't it my friend.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter, but NOW I own all five books. The character Cahira Zeva Aiden is my character and is not allowed to be used. She is not based on a real person in any circumstances. Yes, this is boring, but it's important. So you can't sue me. I also do own the people who you do not recognize, so they are mine. No stealing please.**

**Crystal****: I am so, so, so sorry that I gave away who died. I'm so sorry! But anyway, I know people don't really like this story, considering it only has about 3 reviews, but I enjoy writing it. I'm leaving for vacation to ****Arizona**** on Friday for a week, so I won't be updating anything for a while. Oh, and thanks to my only reviewers PiscesAngel and shannon! You're both the best!**

**~*~*~**

Cahira sat at the front teachers table, her stomach in a small knot. Sure, she was nervous about her first class, I'm sure everyone who had just become a teacher was. But the fact that Calin, the guy of her dreams (literally), was in that class. She ate a few pieces of toast and drank some pumpkin juice. She didn't know why everyone liked it, when she preferred tea over everything else. 

She twirled her napkin in her hands, which were clammy. Some of the students had entered the class and left, and Cahira was glad that her first class wasn't till after lunch. She had classes' everyday, but they varied in times. Today, hers was after lunch.

Seeing that she possibly couldn't put anything else in her mouth, she excused herself from the table. She walked out of the teacher entrance and exit, and then into the entrance hall. She passed many students, who just sort of looked at her before continuing their conversations.

Cahira sighed, and walked up the marble stairs and towards her tower. It was quite empty in this corridor, so she let out a long yawn, and walked over to her portrait.

"Good day Master Cahira" her portrait said. Cahira nodded her head, and the portrait swung, with no need of a password. Cahira grabbed the parchment filled with names, and walked inside. She had developed a new way for lighting, since the spell seemed to always mess up. Cahira stuck her hand above her and pointed her index finger, twirling it in spirals that matched the stairs. 

The tower lit, and Cahira walked up to her rooms. She decided on a nice bath before she made sure everything was ready. She picked out a green haori, the pants white and the top green. She decided she would go all warrior today, which she normally wouldn't do. She picked out the green stockings that matched her haori top. She grabbed a towel, and walked into the bathroom, setting her clothes on a vanity.

Putting her hair into a messy bun, she slipped into the warm bathwater she had run before leaving for breakfast. The fire had not burnt out, so the water was still plenty warm.

She soaked, letting all her nervousness wash away in the herbal water. She sighed, letting her thoughts escape, and sinking into the water. After about thirty minutes, she came back to earth, noticing all her nervousness was now gone, and the sores she had gotten from training were gone. That's what she got for using the water from the fall.

She stepped out of the bath, wrapping the towel around her. She let her hair drop, before tying it back in its usual way. She slipped into the stockings, and then into her haori. She put her sandals on, and hung the towel on the bar over the window to dry. She looked at the clock, and it seemed it had been much longer then thirty minutes. Actually, three times that amount. 

She still had plenty of time though, so she walked back into her room. A bird was now sitting in a cage that hung from the roof, but it wasn't an owl, nor was it a phoenix. It was a beautiful nightingale. Its tail was long like that of a phoenix, and it was a beautiful peacock green and blue. It had large, silver eyes, and a short, curved beak. It was gnawing on a rice ball that was attached to the cage wall.

Cahira smiled, walking up to it. 

"Hello *Hotaru" Cahira said, stroking the bird. It belonged to her mother before she passed away, so Cahira had offered to take care of it. She used it instead of an owl, because nightingales were very common in the part of Japan she was from. Owls were not, and a phoenix would defiantly not fit in well. This bird, though, had a small string around its neck with a little cherry bell attached.

That's how people knew it was owned, and when people from her city saw it, like friends, they would call hi to it. The people who were after her, though, did not know of this bird. People in the city knew very well never to speak out Cahira's name when they saw something or someone that could lead the people to her. 

"So, how is everyone, hmm?" Cahira asked, stroking the birds head. She chirped in a melodic way, before returning to the rice ball. Cahira giggled, sitting down next to her desk and opening a drawer. She took out a small, black book with a blue nightingale on the front. She opened it, and grabbed her brush and ink, before beginning to write her letter.

About another hour later, Cahira gave the two pieces of parchment to *Hotaru, who chirped.

"Now, one is for Master Keiji, who is staying in London. The other is for Akane, and you'll have to get her whereabouts from Master Keiji. Understand?" Cahira asked, letting the bird walk onto her hand and walking towards the window. Hotaru chirped in response.

"Good, now, if you're not back in a week, I'll get worried" Cahira said, and *Hotaru chirped again, before leaping of her hand and flying away. Cahira watched as she disappeared beyond the horizon, and looked at the sun. She turned to look at her clock.

"About thirty minutes till noon, and an hour and a half till lunch" Cahira said. "And my class is a two" Cahira said. "What to do?" She asked herself. She did not want to go and train, for she didn't want to strain any muscles when she was starting a class today. 

"Maybe I'll just do exercises for an hour, then just make my way around the castle" Cahira said to herself again. She pulled out of the wardrobe a **shinai. She began to exercise her arms and legs, before moving onto easy training with the **shinai.

An hour later, when she finished, she put everything away and walked into the training room. Everything was nicely set up, and then a thought struck Cahira. She dashed into her room, sighing to see her Silver Dragon Sakaboto***. She grabbed it, slipping it into its position at her side, and continuing on her inspection of the training room. She noted that everything was set, and she had 20 minutes till lunch.

She had to be there at least 5 minutes early for some reason, and she decided she wouldn't eat too much as so she didn't weigh herself down. She slipped back into her sandals, which she had discarded while checking on the training room, and grabbed them. She did not want her feet to touch the wood, so if she was wearing stockings, she wouldn't put on her shoes till the little indent that separated her area from the castle stairs.

Master Keiji had told her she should do it no matter what, and Cahira thought about it. Now that there would be many more students, the wood would get scuffed up. So, she decided on it. Shoes weren't aloud on the wood, so she would have to talk to her students about that. They would use sandals in the training room, like she, and leave their other shoes behind.

The sandals fit all sizes, and she had enough for each person. She had also started to make her students' haoris, but hadn't put in colors yet. She would have to decide when she met them. Noticing she wasted five minutes pondering, and it would take her five to ten minutes to get downstairs, she slipped on her shoes at the indent, and began her way down.

She did not extinguish the candles, for in an hour she would just have to put them on again. She didn't want all her students waiting in the dark, now did she? She exited the portrait, and made her way to the Great Hall.

~*~*~

Harry, Ron, and Hermione, entered the Great Hall to see loads of students already in there.

"Damn that Snape, making us miss some of our lunch" Ron hissed.

"Really Ron, you and your stomach" Hermione sighed. They looked up at the staff table as they took their seats, and noticed Cahira talking with Professor Lupin. Her sword, like always, was safe at her side.

"She doesn't go anywhere without that thing, does she?" Harry asked.

"Seems not" Hermione said. They also noticed she was only eating rice and small pieces of beef and shrimp, hardly any food at all.

"She's going to starve herself like that" Ron said, as he grabbed a roll and began to shove it in his mouth.

"Maybe she's doing it for a reason" Hermione said. She decided she would take just as much food that Cahira had on her plate.

"No you're starving yourself, too?" Ron asked.

"No" Hermione said stiffly. "I'm just taking a pro-caution. When we do stuff in her class today, I don't want to throw up."

"She has a point" Harry said, also grabbing the necessary foods. Ron sighed.

"Fine then" he grunted, taking the foods as well. Cahira had taught them on Sunday how to use chopsticks, though they weren't the best at it yet. Ron would end up stabbing at the food when it frustrated him, and then resort to using his hands. Hermione and Harry had caught on to it, but they still had a problem with rice.

When they finished the small meal, they stood and exited the hall. They saw Cahira had also.

"Cahira!" Hermione called, waving. Cahira turned, smiling.

"Hello" she said, walking over. "I see you followed my example" she said. They looked at her confused. She laughed slightly. "With the food" she said to them. They nodded in understanding. "Before going into training, they say you shouldn't eat much. It weighs you down, and so tricks are harder to learn" Cahira said. They nodded.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

"Hmm, over to the edge of the forest" Cahira answered.

"Why?" Harry asked, walking with her as she began.

"I talked to Hagrid before Breakfast this morning. He said he would try and get some of the ingredients for me" Cahira said, referring to the potion for Professor Lupin.

"He said he'd try for the centaur tooth and the dark energy leaf" Cahira said.

"Have you started looking for the pure hearted?" Cahira asked.

"I'm going to start in my class today, and then I'll do it in the Great Hall at dinner" Cahira said. "It's hard to do though with big groups of people" Cahira muttered. Hagrid was walking along the edge of the forest, pulling a large bag.

"Hagrid!" Cahira called. He turned and smiled.

"G'day Mis' Cahira" Hagrid said, "'Arry, Ron, 'Ermione" Hagrid greeted.

"I'm here for the ingredients, Hagrid" Cahira said softly so the people on the grounds didn't hear.

"O' course, righ' here in tis bag" Hagrid said. He opened it, and took out a small bottle with a single tooth in it, and another with a single leaf in it.

"Thank you, Hagrid" Cahira smiled.

"Noh problem" Hagrid said, "I'll see you bunch late'" Hagrid said, and he continued to trudge off down the forest edge. Cahira smiled, as she began her way back across the grounds.

"Enjoy lunch" she called to them, before disappearing in a crowd of people.

~*~*~

"One minute till class" Hermione said. "Thirty seconds, twenty-five, twenty" Hermione counted off her watch. "Five…" she said, and the portrait swung open. Many of the other students jumped away. Cahira stepped out.

"Hello" she smiled. It was the first many of the students had heard her speak, beside Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Now, before we head to class, I would like to give you the rules and things like that" Cahira said, as the portrait shut behind her.

"First, the password. It is Haru kin'youbi" Cahira said first. "Now, the rules are no insulting." Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked over at Malfoy and his cronies. "You must follow directions at all times, and you may only speak when called on. When we reach the top of the tower, I ask all of you to remove your shoes" Cahira said. _This must be new_ Harry, Ron, and Hermione thought.

The portrait opened without said to a password. "Now, you may notice this. After a month or so, my portrait will recognize you by your aura and allow you in" Cahira said. She walked in, and the thirty people of the class followed. Cahira stood on the first step as everyone piled in and made sure the portrait shut tightly.

She began walking up the steps, and the class followed. Some of them whispered, but Cahira didn't mind because they were not yet in her room. They approached the landing minutes later, though some people were lagging.

"Remove your shoes" Cahira said, and she did before stepping onto the wood. Everyone followed, and stepped onto it, questioning their friends why they had to do so.

"Now, you are in my domain, so, as soon as you step onto the landing, rules ensue" Cahira smiled. The class became quiet, and she led the ones ready to the training room. "If you would go and stand against the wall" she said to them. They nodded, and did as she was told. For some reason, all of them had this feeling they shouldn't disobey her.

When everyone was standing against the wall, she walked to the front of the class, wearing her black, training sandals.

"Now, I will call your name and point to your seat for the rest of the year. The only way to move is if you're either excelling in the class, or being disruptive" Cahira said. She picked up the signup list, and walked to the first cushion. "Now, on each cushion there is a pair of black sandals which become yours as soon as you sit down. You are responsible to bring them to every class here, and I suggest you personalize them in some way" Cahira said. Then she began calling names.

"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Draco Malfoy, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Ally Moon, Calin Caedmon" Cahira said, sitting the first row. Then she moved onto the middle one. "Hannah Abbot, Ernie Macmallon, Neville Longbottom, Blaise Zambini, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Padma Patil, Millicent Bulstrode, Pansy Parkinson,  Susan Bones" Cahira said, and she moved onto the last row. "Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Terry Boot, Mandy Brocklehurst, Morag McDougal, Alex Nott, Sally-Anne Perks, Lisa Turpin, Alvin Simon, and Olivia Jones" Cahira finished. (**A/N Some of the names are made up, like the last two and you already know about Calin. Alex Nott and Ally Moon could be real people, though. In the first book it says they called up an Alex and a Nott**)

"Now that that's all sorted out, lets begin" Cahira said. She un-sheeted her sword in her normal way, making the class watch her movements. "This" Cahira began, "Is a Silver Dragon Sakaboto***" Cahira said. "It has been handed down in my family for many generations, and is priceless. I never go anywhere without it" Cahira said.

"Now, you may be wondering if you'll ever get to use a sword" Cahira said. "The answer is yes, but much later in the year" Cahira said. Malfoy, who had been put apart from Crabbe and Goyle, was passing notes to back to them, though he wasn't getting any response. 

"Bunch of idiots" he muttered. Cahira stopped talking.

"Mr. Malfoy" Cahira said, walking over. "I'm glad you volunteered" Cahira smiled. "Stand up" Cahira instructed, and Draco did so. He stood, and Cahira instructed him to stand over by a large beam.

"Now" she instructed, "If you would throw this" she showed him a small, white ball, "At me, that will be fine." Cahira said. She walked over to stand about three yards away from him. He threw it fast, and Cahira drew her sword. She ran towards the overcoming ball, and passed it with what looked like no movement. The ball fell to the ground in fourths. "Thank you, Mr. Malfoy" Cahira said, "You may sit" she said, and he obliged.

"That is a simple trick you will learn when the time comes, but till about maybe November, you won't even touch any of this equipment" Cahira said, and many of the students were flashed with shock. "The first rule to becoming a swordsman is to learn discipline, so that's what we're going to do. Today's exercise will test your emotions" Cahira said.

She walked over to the side wall, next to the door. She pressed a button, and walked to the middle of the room. About 15 onions flew out of the wall. Cahira held up her sword, and the students watched as she moved slightly and, what seemed to be, missing the onions. They all landed on a sheet, and opened perfectly in half. She sat on the sheet.

"Harry Potter" she called, and he walked up. She put a single half of an onion in him, and covered the rest with a spell, so only the single half could be seen and smelt. 

"Now Harry, the point of this is to see if you can be made cry easily" Cahira said. She took a small dagger, watching Harry's face. "Focus" she said, locking eyes with him. He nodded, and she began to cut the onion perfectly without looking. Harry felt the fumes come into his eyes and nose, but found himself unable to blink them away.

His body began to shake, and she was only half way through. He began to think of other things, anything but the onion. But it was utmost impossible, since there was not a sound, except the slice of the onion. No talking, no moving, nothing.

Harry felt his eyes slowly start to water, and saw that they were a fourth away from finishing. 

"Concentrate" Cahira said softly, and Harry went back to thinking. _Concentrate he repeated to himself in his mind, keeping his eyes forward. He heard the dagger hit the sheet, and he looked down. The onion lay there, in millions of pieces._

"Congratulations" Cahira said, and she stood. "Wait here a moment" she said as she walked out of the classroom. Everyone suddenly burst into whispers, except for some of the Gryffindors and Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They had informed their friends about her hearing, so she could probably hear everyone who was talking.

Cahira walked back in, and the talking ceased instantly.

"To all of you who were talking, and I know who you are" Cahira said. "You receive a warning" she said in a soft voice. Harry noticed she had three boxes with her, and there were many more in the halls. She opened one, and pulled out an emerald haori that matched the style of her own.

"Stand" Cahira said. "You have discipline, and listen to your instincts. But this is only step one. For your acts you receive a haori, the custom outfit of a Japanese swordsman" Cahira said. She handed the outfit to him. "This color was chosen for you personality, your aura, and your heart" Cahira said.

"Take it as an honor, and when asked, wear it" Cahira said sternly. "You may sit" Cahira said, and Harry did so. Cahira continued on, and by the end of the class, only five people had gotten haoris. Harry, Hermione (**A/N Surprise!**), Draco, Calin, and Blaise.

"You all did very well, and we will continue this throughout the week. See to it that you try and become stronger throughout the nights, and even practice with a friend. You may sit and talk till the bell, and will you five please come here" Cahira said, motioning to the five who now held haoris. Harry's emerald, Hermione's peacock blue, Draco's dark blue, Calin's faded red (**A/N Like Kenshins'!), and Blaise's was gray.**

"Now, you five are very excelled in discipline, and I am very proud. Tomorrow, if you would turn up 10 minutes before class, I would like to give you something" Cahira said. They nodded. "Excused" she said to them, and they began to walk towards their seats. "From class" she said behind them. They nodded, but stayed behind anyway.

"Class dismissed" Cahira said. Everyone stood and made their way to the door. 

"Are you coming to lunch, Cahira?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, but I'll be down in a little while" Cahira said, and she nodded. They began for the stairs, putting their shoes back on.

"You guys are lucky to have excelled, but it was pretty easy to tell Hermione was going to" Ron said as they made their way down the tower stairs. Hermione hit him upside the head.

"Actually, it's quite hard. You have to think of something else without closing your eyes" Hermione said. They turned the corner in the small landing on the many stairs. And below, turning round, was Draco.

"That's odd, Malfoy isn't being followed by his cronies" Harry said.

"Didn't you hear?" Ron asked. Harry shook his head in a 'no'.

"Well, during the time period before you received your himori, or whatever, Draco told Crabbe and Goyle that they were to idiotic to be his friends. Now he and Blaise are best friends" Ron said.

"Blaise isn't that mean, either. He was in my Aritmancy class last year, and he sat next to me. Really nice and has a good sense of humor, especially when he teases Pansy" Hermione said.

"Then does this end everything between us and Malfoy?" Harry asked.                            

**~*~*~**

**Crystal****: Cliffy! I just had to end it there. Ok, you may not have noticed a few of the words in there, so I put a little dictionary here at the bottom.**

***Hotaru: Firefly. **

****shinai: Bamboo training sword. **

*****Sakaboto: Reverse blade sword. **

**Crystal: Also, I hope you don't mind that I decided to put Blaise as Draco's new best friend, I just like that idea. Anyway, I want to run an idea past the few people that read this story. It's about another Harry Potter story, and the preview is below!**

Title: The Lion, the Witch, and the…Trunk?

Author: CrystalMoon

Rated: PG-13 (I always do that for safety)

Genre: Romance

Sub-Genre: Action/Adventure

_"I can't believe we can't get out of the library" Harry sighed. Hermione, Draco, Ginny, and himself had all been in the library when the doors had shut and they wouldn't open again. Madam Pince was nowhere, and either were other students or teachers._

_"It is rather odd, isn't it?" Hermione said._

_"Yea, and boring" Ginny said her forehead against a table. Draco was sleeping._

_"Then lets do something, we won't get in trouble" Harry said._

_"I know" Draco said, popping out of his sleep. "Hide and seek" Draco said._

_"Hide and see-" Harry began._

_"Not it!" Draco, Hermione, and Ginny called. Harry sighed._

_"Fine" he muttered._

_"Count to 50" Ginny said. He nodded, and put his head face down as they ran off to hide. Ginny scurried down one of the library rows, but found nothing. She turned, and suddenly there was a trunk sitting there. She stared at it. "What a great hiding place" she said. She opened it, and climbed in, when she felt that the trunk was much longer, she fell about three feet._

_"What the hell?" Ginny said, but the trunk was still open, so she had light. She saw she was in some sort of tunnel, and there was light at the end of it. So, she crawled towards the light. (**A/N What an idiot.**)_

_She felt her knees go wet, and found herself outside suddenly, with snow everywhere. _

_"But it's spring" Ginny said to no one. She saw another light, and began to step through all the snow towards it. When she reached it, she saw that it was a lamppost._

_"Odd…" she said to herself, and then heard the break of a twig. She turned to see what looked to be half man, half goat. A fawn. He dropped his parcels and umbrella that he was carrying. He gaped at her._

_"Daughter of Eve…?" He stuttered in a question._

_To Be Continued…_

**Crystal****: So, what did you think? I hope you like it, because I'll start writing it when I have time. Well, Ciao!**

  

       


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